Theater appliance.



GEORGE R. MULLEN, OF SPENCER, MASSACHUSETTS.

THEATER APPLIA'NCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 29, 1905.

Application file d February 3, 1.905. Serial No. 244,050.-

To all LUI/1,0m, t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. MULLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the town of Spencer, county of Worcester, and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Theater Appliances, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a theater appliance, particularly of the cabinet type, for the use of acrobats.

Broadly stated, the invention consists of a suitable cabinet made to represent a piece of furniture, but which is made hollow and is provided with diving-doors, so that an acrobat may enter one of the sides of the cabinet and emerge through the opposite side.

In the preferred construction the apparatus is provided with a platform or its equivalent which acts as a sliding support for the acrobat while in transit through the cabinet. For convenience in shipping and handling it is preferably made in the form of what is commonly termed a knockdown structure, the several parts being tenoned or otherwise suitably locked together in assembling the parts.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, showing its embodiment in a trick-piano, in which4 Figure l is a perspective view of the device. Fig. 2 is 'a longitudinal section thereof, the keyboard being shown in elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse section. Fig. t is a detail view showing a part of the platform and its supporting-cleat, and Fig. 5 is a detail view showing one form of hinge attachment for the doors.

Referring now to the drawings, A represents a piano, the top being lettered B, the front C, the ends D, and the keyboard E. The front C is preferably made in three partsa c, as shown, the upper part or section a being tenoned into the top B and also into the intermediate part L by the tenon-joints d and c, respectively, the part 7) being also tenoned into the lower part or section c by a similar tenon-jointf. The upper part a is provided with diving-doors g 7L, which preferably swing both inwardly and outwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, on the well-known double-flap spring-hinges t', Fig. 5. Thelower part c is also provided with similar doors 770, and these may carry the pedals Z m. Each side or end D, which is tenoned into the front, asshown at n, is also provided with divingdoors op, preferably moving inwardly and outwardly, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

While I have'illustrated the openings in the front and ends as provided with double doors, it is obvious that a single door might be employed, though not to the same advantage.

The cabinet is usually provided with a transverse platform or sliding support, preferably made of two parts, hinged at r for convenience in packing, Fig. 3, and supported by suitable cleats s, attached to the end parts D. The platform is preferably located just below the bottoms of the doors o p in the end pieces D and those in the upper part tof the front.

It is thus apparent that the device is of a substantially hollow or shell like construction, being provided with a front, sides, and top, but preferably withouta back or bottom.

The device, in the embodiment shown, to all appearances represents an ordinary piano. The surprise of the audience can therefore be imagined when the acrobat dives through the doors in the upper front part and returns through the lower ones therein or dives through the doors in one end and emerges through the doors in the opposite end. It will be observed that during the movements through the upper front doors and the doors in the ends the platform q serves as a sliding support.

I claim- 1. In a device of the class described, a substantially hollow cabinet, substantially the entire back of which is normally open and unobstructed, said cabinet being provided with a front, top and ends, an opening in either end thereof, and a movable closure for the opening in either end.

2. In afdevice of the class described, a substantially hollow cabinet, substantially the entire back of which is normally open and unobstructed, openings in the ends of the cabinet, movable closures for said end openings, and an opening in its front also provided with a movable closure.

3. In a device of the class described, a cabinet, an opening in one end thereof provided with a swinging door, the front of the cabinet being also provided with an opening, said opening in front having a closure, and a platform Within the cabinet extending lengthwise thereof and for substantially the entire length IOO of thecabinet below the bottom of one of said openings and above the top of the other openv ing.

4. In a device of the class described, a cabinet, an opening in the upper part of the front thereof` provided with a closure adapted to swing' inwardly and outwardly o'f the cabinet, an opening in the lower part of the front also provided with a closure and a supportingplatform extending' longitudinally through the cabinet in a plane intermediate said closures.

5. In a device of the class described a portable cabinet, an opening in either end thereof, a closure for each opening adapted to swing inwardly and outwardly of the cabinet, and a platform extending above the bottom of the cabinet through the same and below said openings.

6. In a device of the class described, a cabinet provided with a front and two ends, an opening in either end, supporting means extending through the cabinet below said openings and two openings in the front of said cabinet, one above the plane of said supporting means and the other below said plane.

7. In a device ofthe class described, a cabinet substantially the entire back of which is open and unobstructed, said cabinet being provided witha top, front and ends, an opening in the front and also in either end and double doors for said openings adapted to swing inwardly and outwardly of the cabinet.

8. In a device of the class described, a cabinet provided with an unobstructed open back, and an opening in the frontof the cabinet provided with a door adapted to swing inwardly and outwardly of the cabinet.

9. In a device of the class described, a cabinet provided with an open back, a platform extending longitudinally of the cabinet, a door in either end of the cabinet above said .platform, and two doors in the front thereof, one above said platform and the other below it.

10. In a device of theclass described, an imitation piano substantially hollow but provided with a keyboard, double swingingdoors above said keyboard leading to the interior of said piano, double swinging doors below said keyboard, a platform interiorly of the piano and in substantially the same horizontal plane as the keyboard, and an opening in the end of the piano.

ll; In a device of the class described,an imitation piano substantially hollow but provided with a keyboard, double swinging doors above said keyboard leading to the interior of said piano, double swinging doors below said keyboard, a platform interiorly of the piano and in substantially the same horizontal plane as the keyboard, and an opening in either end of the piano, each provided with a door adapted to swing inwardly and outwardly.

12. In a device of the class described, a knockdown structure consisting of a separable top, two separable ends and a separable front, two openings in said front each provided with a swinging closure, a platform.

intermediate said openings, and an opening in either end also provided with a swinging closure.

13. In a device ofthe class described, a cabinet having a front consisting of two panels and a keyboard intermediate of said panels, an opening in each of the panels and a swinging closure for each opening.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE It. MULLEN.

Witnesses:

J As. H. GRIFFIN,v H. 1. BERNHARD. 

